


and darling i'll be loving you

by Crazymuggleinthestruggle



Series: arthureamesmonth [3]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Backstory, F/M, Light Angst, Limbo, M/M, Military Backstory, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:54:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,670
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24525727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crazymuggleinthestruggle/pseuds/Crazymuggleinthestruggle
Summary: "But the question of whether that’s a dream or whether it’s real, matters. It matters because that’s the point about reality. Reality matters.”-Chistopher Nolan
Relationships: Arthur/Eames (Inception), Dom Cobb/Mal Cobb
Series: arthureamesmonth [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1969252
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	and darling i'll be loving you

**Author's Note:**

> is it still a 3am fic if i only really got the idea at 3? i'm gonna say no and wish you a happy reading!  
> this has taken me a long long time to finish. that's because procrastination is a bitch, but, i'm actually pretty proud of it. so, yayy!
> 
> [ here ](https://arthureames-dumbassery.tumblr.com/post/632434943566446593/prompt-backstory-but-the-question-of-whether)  
> 

Arthur joined the military at 18. A kid fresh out of high school, full of misplaced optimism and hope about the world. He joined the army with his head held high, a shine in his eye and a skip in his step. He was whisked into the Dreamshare programme when he was just shy of turning 19. He met Eames the day he turned 19. Eames was a year older to him and a Lieutenant with exactly thirty soldiers in his platoon.  
____________________________________

Arthur remembered the day he met Eames for the first time. His hair - the standard military cut - much shorter than he would ever wear it once they were out. “Reminds me of the days, I’d rather not dwell upon”, he would tell Arthur one day.

The first time, however, he was wearing his uniform with his military issued haircut and went by the name Lieutenant Charles Eames. 

The Dreamshare project was a joint effort by the US, Russian and British governments. Thus, came Eames. He had been invited by the American government so that he could, to the best of his ability, train the soldiers in the art of dream forgery. The programme went on for more than a year.  
***  
Arthur could forge the best out of all the soldiers. Despite that, he could never make his eyebrows change color from his natural brown or even hide his scars and blemishes. Over the year, Arthur and Eames became friends. 

Eames liked Arthur’s bluntness and Arthur liked Eames’ opacity. However, what they liked the most was that neither one of them believed in the bullshit being sold to them by their respective governments. They did not believe that Dreamshare was simply being used to train the soldiers for practical purposes. What they did believe was that something extremely complicated and drastic was about to go down and that stealing everything from the progress reports to the PASIVs and anything that went in between was crucial. The works had been in motion for the better part of a year and the day was getting closer with a rapid sort of urgency.  
***  
It went something like this.  
Arthur lying on his bunk, tossing and turning in the wake of sleeplessness. He heard the soft thunk of military boots and sat up straight. Ears straining to hear anything else, when he felt a hand on his back and the soft purr of Eames’ voice in his ears. 

“Now or never, darling”

They had planned this exact scene over and over again. A million possible ways. So, it was safe to say, they were ready for anything that was going to be thrown at them. It wasn’t long before they were out of the base and on their way to Birmingham - Shuttlesworth even before the doors had been locked down. 

High on adrenaline and the feel of success, neither of them knew who initiated the first kiss.  
____________________________________

Nothing blows up and nobody comes to find them. Still, they lie low in Liechtenstein for a while. 

Eventually, they make it out of there. The Dreamshare project gets boarded up. The government doesn’t think it wise to spend millions of dollars all over again only to start from scratch.

Arthur and Eames buy a flat in the dodgy corner of Gare du Nord. The first and only place they call ‘home’. The only place they feel safe.  
***  
One day, Arthur wil find Eames here. Cocooned in blankets, mindless soaps playing in the background as he sips on warm tea. 

He’ll turn towards Arthur and his smile will be brighter than the sun. Open and trusting and full of love. Something will coil painfully in Arthur’s chest. Reminding him of what he was about to do. About what he might lose.  
____________________________________

Dreamshare goes corporate. Not legal, but corporate. There are hundreds and hundreds of people who use their skills to extract not only information, but also, money. 

Arthur and Eames eventually go in as well. Start providing their skills to the budding industry. Eames will not be the _only_ forger. He will be one of the best, though. Arthur won’t be the only architect/ point-man. He’ll also be one of the best, though. 

Jobs are easy to find. Arthur and Eames don’t let anyone find out that they’re together. It’s better to keep it a secret. Provide as little information about themselves as possible. Not let anyone have any sort of leverage over them. Not be each other’s weak points. 

They hardly ever take jobs together, Although, they always know where the other is. They’re always there for each other when it is necessary. They always recommend each other’s services.  
***  
They don’t tell anyone that they’re in love. Don’t even tell each other.  
____________________________________

Arthur meets Dominick and Mallorie Cobb on a job. It’s an easy job. No way for anything to go wrong. His name had been recommended to Dom by the last Extractor Athur had worked with. 

Arthur fell in love with the Cobbs’ imagination and their ability to defy the rules in a place where rules didn’t exist. Their ability to bend and contort dreams in a manner Arthur had never seen before. And the Cobbs fell in love with Arthur. Just the _arthurness_ of Arthur.  
The job went without a hitch and each of them came out a few hundred thousand dollars richer.  
It wasn’t long before Arthur received another job offer from them. And another, and another. And Arthur said yes every time.  
***  
Arthur had been with Eames when they learned that Mal’s pregnant. They had been having their bi-weekly argument about Eames’ atrocious shirt choices, “Yes, Eames, your shirts have a non-consensual relationship with everyone's eyes-”  
***  
Eames had met the Cobbs a number of times at that point. He trusted them. He had liked Mal the minute he met her. Her fierce pride and imagination. Her ability to make people believe. Her quiet determination that drove her to new extremes. Her inherent _frenchness_.  
***  
Eames would tell them about Arthur and him. A few years later, after Dom would have resigned from Dreamshare. After he would have been united with his kids. Arthur would be grateful Eames had told Dom and Mal.  
***  
Arthur would once again be with Eames when they would learn about Mal’s death. He would be there to see Eames break down. Be there to see the look of utter devastation on Eames’ face. Be there to feel the oppressing silence that came in the wake of Eames’ grief. However, he’d also be there to hold him up. To pick up his broken pieces. To whisper nonsensical words like “It’ll be ok” and “You’ll be alright” when they both knew it wouldn't. Ever.  
***  
He would also be there to see the look of helplessness on Eames’ face when he went after Dom. Then, however, he wouldn't be there to pick up his broken pieces.  
***  
Later he’d look at Eames, broken beyond repair, and think “Nothing was worth this.”  
____________________________________

Inception was a high point in all their lives. They felt like gods and celebrated till they felt even greater.  
***  
For, Arthur, however, Inception would be a tainted memory.  
***  
In retrospect, Arthur thinks he should've expected it. He had seen it happen before, after all. Seen it happen to Annisa, to Enzokuhle, to Inaya. To any forger worth their salt, really.  
***  
The first time Arthur noticed it was a few days after the Inception job. Arthur and Eames were in their apartment in Paris. Eames had been looking out of the window and the next thing Arthur knew, he was raving about for The House of the Spirits around the apartment.  
***  
The thing is Eames didn't like the book. "Too serious for me, love"  
***  
The thing is the book had been a mark's favourite book. A mark that Eames had forged not two months ago.  
***  
It happened again and again and again. Small instances. Each time a longer memory lapse. A longer time period when Eames wasn't Eames. He was the mark.  
It got worse until Arthur couldn't ignore it anymore.  
***  
The only person Arthur could think of was Yusuf. He was with Arthur in their Paris apartment not even six hours after Arthur had called him. He had come with a single backpack full of chemicals and drugs.  
With an expression that said he had been waiting for this to come, but had hoped it never would. 

"How long has this been going on for?"

"Close to six months now" 

"He's losing his individuality. Arthur, he's forgotten who he actually is."

"I _know_ , Yusuf. What can we do?" 

"You'll have to go down his subconscious. You'll have to search for _him_. I'll provide you with whatever you require, but, I won't be here when you go down. _Can't be_."  
***  
Arthur had asked Eames once. Many years ago. They'd still been with the army. 

"Why can't I forge like you can?" 

Eames had given him a sad sort of look, "Oh, love. You need to forget who you are. You need to lose your identity. Your individuality. You need to let go of the very thing that actually makes you, you. That gives you a personality." 

Arthur had always assumed that the look had been because his favourite student couldn't forge as well.  
***  
Arthur had never tried to forge after that.  
***  
Many years later, he'd look at Eames, cocooned in blankets, mindless soaps playing in the background as he sipped on warm tea, a lost look on his face and he'd remember what Eames had once said. He'd think that maybe the look wasn't for him. Maybe, Eames always knew what would happen to him.  
____________________________________

It all comes to a head like this.  
Arthur and Eames, in their _home_. Sitting on open chairs, needles in their arms, unconscious with drugs provided by Yusuf.  
Arthur some fifty levels and hundred years deep in Eames' subconscious, probably stuck in Limbo, looking for Eames.  
***  
Eames' feather light fingers, touching Arthur's face, "See you on the other side, darling"

**Author's Note:**

> okay, first things first  
> MAJOR thanks to @The_girl_who_lives and @TallOreo for their beta work and support  
> so, if you like find any typos or errors, it's their fault. lol, no, it's totally mine


End file.
